Primordial Awakening: I Can Evolve My Skills Infinitely - Chapter 284

Chapter 284: Easy Wave Clear, The Square of Purgatory
Sam and the clone kept rushing forward, the ground beneath them cracking from the pressure of their speed.

Around them, the [Mist Rays] kept erupting again and again, but this time, they were much faster, sharper, and more unpredictable than before.

Each beam sliced through the air like a flash of death, cutting through the buildings on the sides and leaving behind trails of sizzling mist.

[4th level of danger.]

[It’s getting exciting, don’t you think?]

Their voices echoed faintly inside Sam’s mind.

Even though he ignored them, a small frown crossed his face.

The mist behind him was much closer than before — far closer than he wanted.

It moved like a living thing now, writhing, devouring everything in its path as thousands of crimson eyes glowed inside it.

Each one was filled with hatred, hunger, and anticipation.

It was as if every single soul trapped inside the mist was watching him, waiting for him to fall.

The farther Sam went, the brighter those eyes burned.

The more eager they became to drag him down.

He could almost hear their whispers, faint but maddening.

After all, those eyes probably didn’t belong only to monsters.

There were likely awakeners in there too — people who had failed, devoured, and turned into part of the endless fog.

‘If we failed, then you should too, huh?’ Sam thought with a grim smile.

He didn’t know how such a thing was even possible, considering that the seven worlds had only just joined the [Upper Realm].

But maybe there were other worlds.

Maybe others had been sent here long before him.

The [Primordials] themselves had made all this happen, so it wasn’t that hard to believe that other challengers had walked this path.

Still, Sam kept his expression blank and calm.

He wasn’t going to let his thoughts slow him down.

And this time, he wasn’t going to just react.

The previous three times, he had simply run forward and fought whatever came out of the mist.

He handled the waves when they appeared, defeated the monsters, and moved on.

But that wasn’t the only way to do it.

He didn’t have to wait for the next trap.

He didn’t have to wait for the next “wave.”

Because he had one skill that could end everything in an instant.

And that skill was—

Primordial Barrage: Aura Ray!

The massive energy structure formed above his head, a swirling construct made entirely from pure aura and raw primordial energy.

It pulsed and distorted, twisting space itself around it.

While still running at full speed down the road of purgatory, Sam began charging the beam.

‘Don’t feel like waiting to see what comes next,’ he thought, eyes fixed forward.

He already knew the previous monsters’ weaknesses — the [Mist Abominations] fell in one blow, the [Mist Guardians] lost their shields before dying easily, and the [Mist Wraiths] had fragile orbs at their cores.

But if their numbers grew or a stronger monster appeared, it might waste precious time.

Time he couldn’t afford to lose.

The [Mist Wall] behind him was moving faster and faster.

If it caught up, it wouldn’t matter how strong he was.

Still, he didn’t panic.

Sam kept his eyes forward, his breathing steady, glancing behind him only once to gauge the distance.

Then—

Fwish!

A [Mist Ray] erupted from his left.

He dodged without thinking, rolling forward and springing back to his feet as another beam came from above.

The beams were faster now. Smarter too.

And every single one left behind a faint, high-pitched hum as they passed.

He could feel the heat from them as they missed by inches.

Still, Sam kept running.

He refused to stop charging the [Aura Ray].

And after less than fifteen seconds, the path ahead changed again.

A new wall of mist formed before him.

The road trembled.

The clone stopped beside him.

[Purgatory Wave #4: Almost There…?]

BOOM!

Dozens of explosions burst from the mist surrounding him as the monsters began to appear.

Sam immediately counted them.

‘Twenty [Mist Abominations], fifteen [Mist Guardians], and ten [Mist Wraiths]. Damn.’

The number kept increasing each wave, but that wasn’t what caught his attention.

Because this time, something else was coming through the wall of mist ahead.

A massive shape was forming, its outline flickering in and out like a phantom.

Then—

ROOOOAR!

The sound shook the ground beneath him.

The mist scattered for a brief second as the figure revealed itself fully.

—

[Mist Shaman (Boss)]

[Level: 110]

[Skills: Mist Control, Mist Buff, Mega Mist Ray]

[Description: A being that managed to control the mist and the creatures, strengthening them.]

—

The creature towered over all others, standing at least three meters tall.

It carried a huge staff made of mist-infused bone, and at its tip was a silver orb swirling with dark light.

It raised its staff, and the orb pulsed.

Mist Buff!

A silver wave spread from the staff like a ripple through the air, enveloping every single monster around Sam.

Instantly, all their eyes brightened.

Their bodies pulsed with strength.

Even their movements became faster and more coordinated.

They stepped forward, snarling and screeching, their combined aura filling the entire road.

‘A boss already, huh?’ Sam thought as he steadied his sword.

They really were throwing everything they had now.

And why wouldn’t they?

He was getting close to the end of the [Road of Purgatory].

But when he glanced back, he saw how dangerously close the [Mist Wall] had become.

He didn’t have time to fight a drawn-out battle.

‘Lucky me,’ Sam muttered, his grin returning, ‘I don’t even need to fight you guys.’

He looked up.

The [Aura Ray] above him was ready.

The glowing bar beside it was full, and the beam hummed with raw power.

‘Back away,’ he ordered his clone. ‘Let’s get this over with.’

The [Primordial Clone] obeyed immediately, moving behind him.

Sam lifted his hand.

For a brief moment, time itself seemed to slow.

Then the orb at the tip of the beam flashed.

BOOM!

A deafening roar filled the entire purgatory as the beam fired.

A blinding crimson light tore through the mist, stretching across the entire road in an instant.

It engulfed every single monster.

The explosion that followed rattled the entire ground.

Fwish!

The crimson light spread, expanding outward like a shockwave.

When it faded a few seconds later, nothing remained.

Every monster, including the towering [Mist Shaman], had vanished into dust.

Even their traces were gone.

Sam lowered his hand slowly.

A single message appeared in front of him.

Ding!

[You have defeated the fourth wave.]

He grinned.

‘Perfect.’

That wave could have taken a full minute, maybe longer, if he’d fought it the usual way.

But with the [Aura Ray], it had taken only seconds.

He’d cleared it instantly — and gained precious distance between himself and the mist.

Still, the voices returned again.

[Looks like he won quicker than we expected.]

[He’s the fastest one yet, isn’t he?]

[Indeed. He’ll be reaching the end of the road soon.]

[Time for the final level of danger…]

The two gray panels appeared again, one with an angelic halo, the other with devil horns.

The monarchs of Heaven and Hell, the ones behind this trial, continued their eerie conversation.

But Sam ignored them.

He didn’t care about their amusement. He cared only about getting out.

He took off again, the clone following beside him.

This time, he ordered it to summon its own [Primordial Barrage: Aura Ray].

It obeyed, the second beam structure forming above its head and beginning to charge.

With both of them armed with this power, Sam felt ready for anything.

No matter what monster appeared next, he would wipe it out before it could even roar.

But as they sprinted, dodging [Mist Rays] from the sides, he realized something new.

The rays weren’t just coming from the walls anymore.

Now they came from above too, streaks of white cutting through the air and crashing into the ground where he’d just been.

The air vibrated. The mist hissed.

Even the buildings around the road began to melt from the power of the beams.

Still, Sam kept moving.

And then, he saw it.

Up ahead, the mist was thinning.

A faint light glimmered in the distance.

[The end of the “Road of Purgatory” is there.]

“…!”

Sam’s eyes widened.

Without thinking, he pushed his speed even further, his boots cracking the ground beneath him.

The [Mist Wall] behind him responded instantly.

It sped up too, roaring with fury as the thousands of crimson eyes inside glowed brighter than ever.

It was chasing him now, almost touching his back.

‘Come on…!’ Sam gritted his teeth.

The sound of the mist crashing forward grew louder.

And then — with one final burst of speed, he broke through.

Ding!

[You have arrived at the “Square of Purgatory”.]

Sam stumbled to a stop, breathing heavily.

The mist behind him stopped moving, as if it couldn’t enter this place.

But it still surrounded the square completely, forming a massive circular barrier.

The space inside was vast — big enough for a battlefield.

He took a step forward, his sword still glowing faintly.

And that’s when the mist ahead began to clear.

Two towering thrones appeared through the fog.

On them sat two figures, one wreathed in radiant light and the other in deep shadow.

Their eyes — crimson and ancient — locked onto Sam.

Ding!

[Purgatory Wave #5: The Monarchs of Heaven and Hell.]

Sam stared at them, his expression flat.

‘Ah, shit,’ he muttered under his breath.

This was it.

The final challenge of the [Road of Purgatory].

And there was no turning back now.